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Last reviewed August 2026
Authored by Jeremiah Say

Lead Systems Architect at GreenCalculus. Translates GHG Protocol methodology into high-precision JavaScript calculation engines. Architect of the MasterBrain data layer covering 1,000+ environmental tools, aligned with IPCC AR6 and the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard (2026 revision).

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Fuel Calorific Values & Densities

56 fuel calorific values & densities held in the GreenCalculus MasterBrain, drawn from UK DEFRA/DESNZ 2026; Nist Codata. Values are read live from the data layer on every page build, so nothing here is re-typed and nothing can drift from the figures the calculators use. They span 6 units of measurement — 24 of them in GJ per tonne — which is why the spread below is reported per unit and never blended.

Where these factors are used

Fuel, Distance and Energy Conversion and CO₂ Equivalencies set out how factors in this group are applied, and Scope 1 Stationary Combustion Calculator draws on them directly. Each value below names the upstream source it came from.

What this group contains

What this group contains
MeasureValue
Factors56
Publishers2
Distinct units6
Data versionMB v2026.110 · updated 2026-08-08
Spread of values, by unit — computed from the 56 factors in this group
UnitFactorsLowestMedianHighest
GJ per tonne2425.40544.3141.781
kg per m3100.808816.5665983.284
kWh per litre107.25910.28211.841
kg per litre80.529750.816570.98328
litres per tonne311711201.7681204

Figures are computed per unit and never blended: a median across different units would be arithmetically valid and physically meaningless. 1 further unit in this group has fewer than 3 factors and is counted above but not described.

What has changed

What has changed — 23 of these factors have been revalued since tracking began
FactorWasNowChangeEdition
Natural gas — net calorific value (GJ per tonne)45.74544.695-2.3%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Natural gas — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne)50.67849.521-2.3%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Natural gas — gross calorific value (kWh per kg)14.07713.756-2.3%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Natural gas — density (kg per m3)0.8020.808+0.7%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Petrol (average biofuel blend) — density (kg per litre)0.74620.75037+0.6%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Petrol (average biofuel blend) — density (kg per m3)746.204750.368+0.6%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Petrol (average biofuel blend) — gross calorific value (kWh per litre)9.4239.458+0.4%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Petrol (average biofuel blend) — net calorific value (GJ per tonne)43.06142.976-0.2%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Petrol (average biofuel blend) — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne)45.4645.374-0.2%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Diesel (average biofuel blend) — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne)45.54545.581+0.1%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Diesel (average biofuel blend) — net calorific value (GJ per tonne)42.83942.869+0.1%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Diesel (average biofuel blend) — gross calorific value (kWh per litre)10.53110.536+0.0%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Diesel (average biofuel blend) — net calorific value (kWh per litre)9.9059.909+0.0%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Diesel (average biofuel blend) — density (kg per m3)832.361832.107-0.0%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Diesel (average biofuel blend) — volume-to-mass (litres per tonne)1201.4021201.768+0.0%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Diesel (average biofuel blend) — density (kg per litre)0.832360.83211-0.0%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — net calorific value (kWh per litre)9.9279.928+0.0%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — net calorific value (GJ per tonne)43.02743.031+0.0%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne)45.77445.777+0.0%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Aviation turbine fuel — density (kg per m3)800.0800+0.0%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Coal (domestic) — density (kg per m3)850.0850+0.0%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — volume-to-mass (litres per tonne)1204.01204+0.0%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18
Gas oil (red diesel) — volume-to-mass (litres per tonne)1171.01171+0.0%MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18

Change history is reconstructed from every released edition of the data layer, v2025.13 to v2026.107. A factor absent from this table has held the same value throughout. A change shown as a dash moved off zero, where a percentage has no meaning.

Sources, citation & machine access

Where these factors come from
SourcePublisherYearLicence
UK Government GHG Conversion Factors 2026Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)2026Open Government Licence v3.0
NIST Chemistry WebBook SRD 69 - CODATA Key Values for ThermodynamicsNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)1984NIST Standard Reference Data - US Government work

Cite the upstream publisher for the values themselves. The reference below credits this compilation and, more usefully, pins the edition you read.

Say, Jeremiah (2026). Fuel Calorific Values & Densities (MasterBrain v2026.110). GreenCalculus. https://greencalculus.com/factors/fuel-calorific-values-and-densities/

Cite this factor group

Values change between editions. Quoting the MasterBrain version is what lets a reader resolve the exact number you used — see the change record above for factors in this group that have moved.

For a reference manager — BibTeX, then RIS:

@misc{greencalculus_fuel_properties_2026,
  author       = {Say, Jeremiah},
  title        = {Fuel Calorific Values & Densities},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {GreenCalculus},
  note         = {MasterBrain v2026.110},
  url          = {https://greencalculus.com/factors/fuel-calorific-values-and-densities/}
}
TY  - DATA
AU  - Say, Jeremiah
TI  - Fuel Calorific Values & Densities
PY  - 2026
PB  - GreenCalculus
ET  - MasterBrain v2026.110
UR  - https://greencalculus.com/factors/fuel-calorific-values-and-densities/
ER  - 

Every factor on this page is readable from the open endpoint. No key, no signup:

https://greencalculus.com/wp-json/greencalculus/v1/factors/fuel_properties
curl -s "https://greencalculus.com/wp-json/greencalculus/v1/factors/fuel_properties?limit=500"
import requests
rows = requests.get("https://greencalculus.com/wp-json/greencalculus/v1/factors/fuel_properties", params={"limit": 500}).json()["factors"]
print(len(rows), "factors in fuel_properties")

Or the same rows as a spreadsheet — every factor with its source, the edition it last changed in, and its own link:

https://greencalculus.com/wp-json/greencalculus/v1/factors-export?page=fuel-calorific-values-and-densities

Download this table as CSV

Both responses carry an X-GC-Version header, so a consumer can detect a new edition without diffing the payload. The CSV filename carries the edition too, so two downloads months apart do not collide.

All factors

Fuel Properties — all 56 factors
FactorValueUnitBasisSourceLast changedCanonical key
Aviation turbine fuel — density (kg per litre)0.8kg per litreDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Aviation turbine fuelfuel_properties.aviation_fuel.density_kg_litre
Aviation turbine fuel — density (kg per m3)800kg per m3DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Aviation turbine fuelv2026.3fuel_properties.aviation_fuel.density_kg_m3
Aviation turbine fuel — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne)46.215GJ per tonneGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Aviation turbine fuelfuel_properties.aviation_fuel.gross_cv_gj_tonne
Aviation turbine fuel — gross calorific value (kWh per litre)10.27kWh per litreGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Aviation turbine fuelfuel_properties.aviation_fuel.gross_cv_kwh_litre
Aviation turbine fuel — net calorific value (GJ per tonne)43.905GJ per tonneNCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Aviation turbine fuelfuel_properties.aviation_fuel.net_cv_gj_tonne
Burning oil — density (kg per litre)0.80257kg per litreDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Burning oilfuel_properties.burning_oil.density_kg_litre
Burning oil — density (kg per m3)802.568kg per m3DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Burning oilfuel_properties.burning_oil.density_kg_m3
Burning oil — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne)46.174GJ per tonneGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Burning oilfuel_properties.burning_oil.gross_cv_gj_tonne
Burning oil — gross calorific value (kWh per litre)10.294kWh per litreGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Burning oilfuel_properties.burning_oil.gross_cv_kwh_litre
Burning oil — net calorific value (GJ per tonne)43.865GJ per tonneNCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Burning oilfuel_properties.burning_oil.net_cv_gj_tonne
Coal (domestic) — density (kg per m3)850kg per m3DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Coal (domestic)v2026.3fuel_properties.coal_domestic.density_kg_m3
Coal (domestic) — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne)30.119GJ per tonneGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Coal (domestic)fuel_properties.coal_domestic.gross_cv_gj_tonne
Coal (domestic) — net calorific value (GJ per tonne)28.613GJ per tonneNCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Coal (domestic)fuel_properties.coal_domestic.net_cv_gj_tonne
Coal (industrial) — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne)26.742GJ per tonneGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Coal (industrial)fuel_properties.coal_industrial.gross_cv_gj_tonne
Coal (industrial) — net calorific value (GJ per tonne)25.405GJ per tonneNCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Coal (industrial)fuel_properties.coal_industrial.net_cv_gj_tonne
Diesel (average biofuel blend) — density (kg per litre)0.83211kg per litreDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (average biofuel blend)v2026.3fuel_properties.diesel.density_kg_litre
Diesel (average biofuel blend) — density (kg per m3)832.107kg per m3DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (average biofuel blend)v2026.3fuel_properties.diesel.density_kg_m3
Diesel (average biofuel blend) — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne)45.581GJ per tonneGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (average biofuel blend)v2026.3fuel_properties.diesel.gross_cv_gj_tonne
Diesel (average biofuel blend) — gross calorific value (kWh per litre)10.536kWh per litreGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (average biofuel blend)v2026.3fuel_properties.diesel.gross_cv_kwh_litre
Diesel (average biofuel blend) — volume-to-mass (litres per tonne)1201.768litres per tonneDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (average biofuel blend)v2026.3fuel_properties.diesel.litres_per_tonne
Diesel (average biofuel blend) — net calorific value (GJ per tonne)42.869GJ per tonneNCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (average biofuel blend)v2026.3fuel_properties.diesel.net_cv_gj_tonne
Diesel (average biofuel blend) — net calorific value (kWh per litre)9.909kWh per litreNCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (average biofuel blend)v2026.3fuel_properties.diesel.net_cv_kwh_litre
Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — density (kg per litre)0.83057kg per litreDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (100% mineral diesel)fuel_properties.diesel_100_mineral.density_kg_litre
Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — density (kg per m3)830.565kg per m3DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (100% mineral diesel)fuel_properties.diesel_100_mineral.density_kg_m3
Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne)45.777GJ per tonneGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (100% mineral diesel)v2026.3fuel_properties.diesel_100_mineral.gross_cv_gj_tonne
Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — gross calorific value (kWh per litre)10.561kWh per litreGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (100% mineral diesel)fuel_properties.diesel_100_mineral.gross_cv_kwh_litre
Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — volume-to-mass (litres per tonne)1204litres per tonneDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (100% mineral diesel)v2026.3fuel_properties.diesel_100_mineral.litres_per_tonne
Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — net calorific value (GJ per tonne)43.031GJ per tonneNCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (100% mineral diesel)v2026.3fuel_properties.diesel_100_mineral.net_cv_gj_tonne
Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — net calorific value (kWh per litre)9.928kWh per litreNCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (100% mineral diesel)v2026.3fuel_properties.diesel_100_mineral.net_cv_kwh_litre
Fuel oil — density (kg per litre)0.98328kg per litreDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Fuel oilfuel_properties.fuel_oil.density_kg_litre
Fuel oil — density (kg per m3)983.284kg per m3DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Fuel oilfuel_properties.fuel_oil.density_kg_m3
Fuel oil — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne)43.353GJ per tonneGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Fuel oilfuel_properties.fuel_oil.gross_cv_gj_tonne
Fuel oil — gross calorific value (kWh per litre)11.841kWh per litreGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Fuel oilfuel_properties.fuel_oil.gross_cv_kwh_litre
Fuel oil — net calorific value (GJ per tonne)40.752GJ per tonneNCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Fuel oilfuel_properties.fuel_oil.net_cv_gj_tonne
Gas oil (red diesel) — density (kg per litre)0.85397kg per litreDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Gas oil (red diesel)fuel_properties.gas_oil.density_kg_litre
Gas oil (red diesel) — density (kg per m3)853.971kg per m3DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Gas oil (red diesel)fuel_properties.gas_oil.density_kg_m3
Gas oil (red diesel) — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne)45.286GJ per tonneGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Gas oil (red diesel)fuel_properties.gas_oil.gross_cv_gj_tonne
Gas oil (red diesel) — gross calorific value (kWh per litre)10.742kWh per litreGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Gas oil (red diesel)fuel_properties.gas_oil.gross_cv_kwh_litre
Gas oil (red diesel) — volume-to-mass (litres per tonne)1171litres per tonneDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Gas oil (red diesel)v2026.3fuel_properties.gas_oil.litres_per_tonne
Gas oil (red diesel) — net calorific value (GJ per tonne)42.569GJ per tonneNCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Gas oil (red diesel)fuel_properties.gas_oil.net_cv_gj_tonne
Hydrogen — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne)141.781GJ per tonneGCVNIST_CODATAH2O standard enthalpy of formation, LIQUID: -285.830 +/- 0.040 kJ/mol (CODATA Review, Cox/Wagman et al. 1984)fuel_properties.hydrogen.gross_cv_gj_tonne
Hydrogen — net calorific value (GJ per tonne)119.953GJ per tonneNCVNIST_CODATAH2O standard enthalpy of formation, GAS: -241.826 +/- 0.040 kJ/mol (CODATA Review, Cox/Wagman et al. 1984)fuel_properties.hydrogen.net_cv_gj_tonne
LPG — density (kg per litre)0.52975kg per litreDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — LPGfuel_properties.lpg.density_kg_litre
LPG — density (kg per m3)529.749kg per m3DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — LPGfuel_properties.lpg.density_kg_m3
LPG — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne)49.333GJ per tonneGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — LPGfuel_properties.lpg.gross_cv_gj_tonne
LPG — gross calorific value (kWh per litre)7.259kWh per litreGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — LPGfuel_properties.lpg.gross_cv_kwh_litre
LPG — net calorific value (GJ per tonne)45.944GJ per tonneNCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — LPGfuel_properties.lpg.net_cv_gj_tonne
Natural gas — density (kg per m3)0.808kg per m3DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Natural gasv2026.3fuel_properties.natural_gas.density_kg_m3
Natural gas — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne)49.521GJ per tonneGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Natural gasv2026.3fuel_properties.natural_gas.gross_cv_gj_tonne
Natural gas — gross calorific value (kWh per kg)13.756kWh per kgGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Natural gasv2026.3fuel_properties.natural_gas.gross_cv_kwh_kg
Natural gas — net calorific value (GJ per tonne)44.695GJ per tonneNCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Natural gasv2026.3fuel_properties.natural_gas.net_cv_gj_tonne
Petrol (average biofuel blend) — density (kg per litre)0.75037kg per litreDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Petrol (average biofuel blend)v2026.3fuel_properties.petrol.density_kg_litre
Petrol (average biofuel blend) — density (kg per m3)750.368kg per m3DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Petrol (average biofuel blend)v2026.3fuel_properties.petrol.density_kg_m3
Petrol (average biofuel blend) — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne)45.374GJ per tonneGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Petrol (average biofuel blend)v2026.3fuel_properties.petrol.gross_cv_gj_tonne
Petrol (average biofuel blend) — gross calorific value (kWh per litre)9.458kWh per litreGCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Petrol (average biofuel blend)v2026.3fuel_properties.petrol.gross_cv_kwh_litre
Petrol (average biofuel blend) — net calorific value (GJ per tonne)42.976GJ per tonneNCVDEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Petrol (average biofuel blend)v2026.3fuel_properties.petrol.net_cv_gj_tonne

Last changed names the data-layer edition in which a factor last took a new value, reconstructed from every released edition since v2025.13. A dash means the value has not moved since tracking began — which is the answer to "is the figure I used last year still current?".

Common questions

56 factors. They are read live from the GreenCalculus data layer on every page build rather than re-typed, so the figures here are the same ones the calculators use. The upstream publishers are UK Government GHG Conversion Factors 2026 and NIST Chemistry WebBook SRD 69 – CODATA Key Values for Thermodynamics.

Not without checking the unit first. This group spans 6 different units of measurement, the most common being GJ per tonne. A factor is only meaningful against the activity data its unit describes, which is why the spread on this page is reported per unit and never blended into a single average.

It names the measurement convention a factor is expressed on — GCV, NCV here. Applying a factor on one basis to activity data collected on another is the most common way these numbers produce a wrong answer, and it is silent: the arithmetic still works. Check the basis matches your meter or invoice before using a value.

23 of the 56 factors here have been revalued at least once since tracking began, most recently in v2026.3. The Last-changed column names the edition each one last moved in, and a dash means the value has not moved at all — which is the answer to “is the figure I used last year still current?”.

Every row has its own link. Click the canonical key in the last column and the address bar will hold an anchor for that one factor, so a citation resolves to the number itself rather than to a table someone has to search. Quote the data-layer edition alongside it (currently v2026.107) — values change between editions, and the version is what lets a reader resolve the exact figure you used.

Yes. This group is readable from an open endpoint with no key and no signup: https://greencalculus.com/wp-json/greencalculus/v1/factors/fuel_properties. Responses carry an X-GC-Version header so a consumer can detect a new edition without diffing the payload. Cite the upstream publisher for the values themselves.

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